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Some of the best adventures start with the worst ideas

Posted: Sun Jun 30, 2019 12:16 pm
by fixxervi6
So here is my idea, I promise this isn't as bad of an idea as Black Gap on loaded GS's

Ok so here is the general gist, motorcycle camping to me is a function of extending range, riding to Wichita and back in a day, doable, but it's a long ass beat of a day especially if you stop anywhere to smell a flower, it makes for an ass beating of a day.

Now, if I were to camp I can take my time up, relax while there, take my time back I don't get as beat up and its far more relaxed at a reasonable cost.
So if we break a trip into a two day out and back run, range gets extended a lot and the following things come into range:

whichita mountains
Caprock Canyons
Palo Duro
Ouchita National Forest (LARGE AREA)
Colorado bend
Big Bend is in range but there is a lot of nothing between here and there, it wouldn't be a good out and back trip.

And these are not ass beating ranges either If you extend out and back into ass beating range a lot more stuff becomes doable, I've done Albuquerque to DFW in a single stretch on a bike before, don't recommend it but it's a doable.

So now the kicker, temperatures, it's hard to sleep when it's 90 out and a dust storm is on so I'm looking at the map and I notice something, Arkansas has elevation, I've camped there before and I've ridden the area - if you have not ridden the area on a motorcycle you are missing out big time, some areas the scenery is amazing and the roads are better than TX track pavement.

So here is the idea, get up Saturday morning and run a route to Arkansas, run in from Talimena from the west side over deeper into the forest, pop camp at like bard springs (not first choice just one I found that would work) I'd need to dig around but the higher the elevation the better so we can get good night time temps. Get up the next morning and run a different route back.

Should be able to pull into the house on Sunday at a descent hour not feeling like you got steam rolled by an elephant

Re: Some of the best adventures start with the worst ideas

Posted: Sun Jun 30, 2019 12:23 pm
by dufremle
Is this idea for street bikes or dual sports?

Re: Some of the best adventures start with the worst ideas

Posted: Sun Jun 30, 2019 12:30 pm
by fixxervi6
well since you threw yours in the trash it would have to be pavement for now, but I do have 2, 2 day ADV routes built for Arkansas.

Re: Some of the best adventures start with the worst ideas

Posted: Sun Jun 30, 2019 2:02 pm
by dufremle
Hopefully soon. Hopefully.

Re: Some of the best adventures start with the worst ideas

Posted: Sun Jun 30, 2019 2:11 pm
by JeffStrom
Jim is looking for an excuse to buy a 1250 anyway.

Re: Some of the best adventures start with the worst ideas

Posted: Sun Jun 30, 2019 4:02 pm
by dufremle
I don't need an excuse :D

Re: Some of the best adventures start with the worst ideas

Posted: Mon Jul 01, 2019 7:35 am
by JeffStrom
Depending on schedule I could be down for a weekend trip.

Re: Some of the best adventures start with the worst ideas

Posted: Mon Jul 01, 2019 11:48 am
by fixxervi6
I'm flexible for whenever, I'm in Utah week of the 22nd so no where near that week.

I just need to throw together a route (easy enough) and find a camp site at altitude (a little harder)

Re: Some of the best adventures start with the worst ideas

Posted: Thu Jul 04, 2019 7:17 pm
by fixxervi6
Temperature wise the best camp site is Winding Stairs at almost 2,000 feet of elevation nightime temps dip into what appears to be reasonable sleeping temps, but it's right off the main road.

Bard spring is much further in, sees low usage and is higher rated overall, it's however at under 1,000 feet, due to trees, being further north, etc it would be cooler but no way to really tell how cool without going.

Bard springs overall looks better to be.

Re: Some of the best adventures start with the worst ideas

Posted: Fri Jul 05, 2019 4:18 am
by dufremle
What do you consider to be reasonable sleeping temps?

Re: Some of the best adventures start with the worst ideas

Posted: Fri Jul 05, 2019 10:55 am
by JeffStrom
Looks like Bard Springs is about 5 mi. from the nearest pavement. Jim will have to see if Karoo's come 190 width for the rear and a 17" front.

Re: Some of the best adventures start with the worst ideas

Posted: Fri Jul 05, 2019 12:44 pm
by dufremle
Ha

Re: Some of the best adventures start with the worst ideas

Posted: Sat Jul 06, 2019 8:51 am
by fixxervi6
5 miles is nothing it'd be fine

Re: Some of the best adventures start with the worst ideas

Posted: Sat Jul 06, 2019 4:49 pm
by dufremle
Not if it is like the road to Bassiti we did. That sucked!

Re: Some of the best adventures start with the worst ideas

Posted: Mon Nov 11, 2019 10:17 pm
by fixxervi6
I'm heading up there this weekend in the jeep, so I'll have some recon on what to expect.

I road out the grasslands Sunday and found some dispersed camping - but very little offroad (almost 0) barely explored the area. One campground I went to looked legit, had bathrooms water and the sites where descent.
grassland.jpg

Re: Some of the best adventures start with the worst ideas

Posted: Sun Nov 17, 2019 8:43 pm
by fixxervi6
I found real dirt, and real dispersed camping

Re: Some of the best adventures start with the worst ideas

Posted: Mon Nov 18, 2019 7:41 pm
by JeffStrom
Sure, where? I know of some great stuff 2000 miles away, but I have to believe there is good stuff closer.

Re: Some of the best adventures start with the worst ideas

Posted: Mon Nov 18, 2019 8:42 pm
by fixxervi6
Didn't get to explore on my own too much because of time, but here:

https://www.google.com/maps/@34.3623403 ... a=!3m1!1e3

Re: Some of the best adventures start with the worst ideas

Posted: Wed Nov 27, 2019 2:07 pm
by SputnikSam
That's wolf pen gap area ain't it!?

Re: Some of the best adventures start with the worst ideas

Posted: Wed Nov 27, 2019 3:28 pm
by fixxervi6
Never hear of wolf pen gap

Re: Some of the best adventures start with the worst ideas

Posted: Wed Nov 27, 2019 3:31 pm
by SputnikSam
fixxervi6 wrote: Wed Nov 27, 2019 3:28 pm Never hear of wolf pen gap
Wolf Pen Gap
Fulton Township, AR 71953
https://maps.app.goo.gl/vPiZ26jvQdTSYTMu7

Re: Some of the best adventures start with the worst ideas

Posted: Wed Nov 27, 2019 4:33 pm
by fixxervi6
Oh in Arkansas